Booted from committee

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins

oversight of the two spy agencies, lacked independence from the Government, and had insufficient time and capacity to meaningfully scrutinise. Currently, Hipkins is head of the committee under law.

Other members from the Government include the intelligence agencies’ minister, Andrew Little, and the foreign minister, Nanaia Mahuta. National Party leader Christopher Luxon, deputy leader Nicola Willis, and foreign affairs spokesperson Gerry Brownlee also sit on the committee, as does Green Party co-leader James Shaw.

The reviewers said comparable committees in other countries, including the United Kingdom, disallow members of the Government sitting on such parliamentary oversight committees.

They recommended the prime minister and Cabinet minister be prohibited from sitting on the Intelligence and Security Committee and, as is done with other parliamentary committees, having only MPs from significant political parties sit.

The committee’s powers should also be expanded to investigate how the agencies operate, including how they collect intelligence, and to investigate other agencies with national security responsibilities, such as the Defence Force and police.

The committee should also be funded to have three or four staff, according to the reviewers, and MPs on the committee should be provided with clearance to read classified material.

On the issue of warrants, which are sought by the agencies to spy on targets, the reviewers said the distinction between warrants for spying on New Zealanders and non-New Zealanders for ‘‘protection of national security’’ should be abolished.

Currently, it is ‘‘most onerous’’ to get a warrant to spy on a New Zealanders, and that higher standard should be applied to nonNew Zealanders, the reviewers said.

‘‘The agencies support this recommendation, and we heard no opposition to it from other parties we consulted.’’

‘‘New Zealand and its sovereignty is not immune to security threats.’’